China said yesterday it “regrets” a decision by the WTO to reject its appeal against a ruling that orders Beijing to free up distribution of US films, music and books.
The WTO appeals body on Monday upheld an initial August ruling that China was breaching international trade commitments by blocking foreign-owned companies from acting as importers and wholesalers — a charge Beijing denies.
“China has conscientiously carried out its obligations under WTO rules in terms of access to the publishing market since its entry into the WTO,” the commerce ministry said in a statement on its Web site.
PHOTO: AFP
“China thinks cultural products feature commercial value as well as cultural value, which determines that the management of the trade of such products should be differentiated from that of general commodities,” it said.
The commerce ministry said it “regrets” the ruling, but did not say if China would comply with the appellate body’s decision.
The ruling, which is now final, affects distribution in China of foreign films for theatrical release, DVDs, music, books and journals.
Beijing faces possible sanctions if it fails to free up imports.
Tao Jingzhou (陶景洲), a Beijing-based lawyer at international law firm Jones Day, said US companies could levy duties equivalent to the revenue lost by film, music and book distributors.
China currently allows 20 foreign films to be shown in local movie theaters every year on a revenue-sharing basis, said Chinafilm.com, a government linked Web site.
The US hailed the decision as a “big win.”
“We are very pleased that the WTO has found against China’s import and distribution restrictions,” US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a statement.
“The Appellate Body’s findings are key to ensuring full market access in China for legitimate, high-quality entertainment products and the exporters and distributors of those products,” he said.
Kirk said that “we expect China to respond promptly to these findings and bring its measures into compliance.”
The ruling means China should permit US-Chinese tie-ups to distribute music on the Internet, the Financial Times newspaper reported — potentially opening the door for firms like Apple to cash in with its iTunes downloading business.
The US and China have for months been locked in a tit-for-tat trade tussle involving a number of WTO complaints and retaliatory measures on an array of products, from chicken meat to US car products to Chinese tires.
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from